Pro Football RumorsChamp Bailey – Pro Football Rumorshttps://www.profootballrumors.com
NFL Rumors: Trades, Free Agency, DraftMon, 19 Nov 2018 23:44:30 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.6Champ Bailey To Retire As Broncohttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/11/champ-bailey-retire
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/11/champ-bailey-retire#commentsFri, 14 Nov 2014 20:48:17 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=10117NOVEMBER 14: Bailey will sign a one-day contract with Denver and retire as a Bronco on Tuesday, according to the team’s VP of public relations Patrick Smyth, who tweets that there will be an afternoon press conference to make the announcement.

OCTOBER 28: Despite receiving interest from NFL teams, veteran cornerback Champ Bailey has decided to end his playing career, according to agent Jack Reale (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). Bailey, who last spent time with the Saints, “has some outstanding opportunities that he’s going to pursue” now that he’s retiring from the NFL, says Reale (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).

Bailey, who turned 36 this summer, appeared in just five regular season games in 2013 due to a foot injury, and his exorbitant cap hit made him a cap casualty for the AFC champion Broncos. In his last healthy season (2012), Bailey grabbed a pair of interceptions and racked up 66 tackles. His combination of positive grades against the run and in pass coverage resulted in a top-10 rank at cornerback in ’12, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required).

However, even after signing a deal with the Saints that included $500K in guaranteed money, Bailey was unable to secure a spot on the team’s 53-man roster. The 12-time Pro Bowler had indicated he’d be willing to play safety in addition to or instead of cornerback, but that may not have been a smooth transition at age 36, and he’s not a special-teams contributor, so New Orleans opted for more versatile options instead.

While he didn’t start the season on a roster, Bailey had been receiving interest in recent weeks. Per Schefter (via Twitter), Reale indicated that at least two playoff contenders were eyeing his client, and one of those was likely the Ravens, whose interest we heard about a couple weeks ago. Perhaps the other club was the Lions, who worked out Bailey back in September.

Assuming Bailey doesn’t come out of retirement at any point and has indeed played his last NFL snap, it should just be a matter of time until he’s inducted into the Hall of Fame. In addition to his 12 Pro Bowl berths, Bailey racked up 52 interceptions during a 15-year career that saw him spend five seasons in Washington and 10 in Denver. His most impressive stretch came with the Broncos in 2005 and 2006, when he grabbed 18 total INTs in two seasons, returning three of them for touchdowns.

Bailey will be eligible for Hall of Fame induction in 2019.

]]>1Ravens Maintain Interest In Champ Baileyhttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/10/ravens-maintain-interest-champ-bailey
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/10/ravens-maintain-interest-champ-bailey#respondWed, 15 Oct 2014 21:50:29 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=9755Defensive back Champ Baileyworked out for the Ravens last week, and while Baltimore chose not to sign Bailey at that point, the team hasn’t ruled out the possibility of bringing aboard the veteran free agent. A league source tells Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun that the Ravens still have interest in Bailey, and have maintained contact with him since last week’s meeting.

Jimmy Smith has played very well at right cornerback this year for the Ravens, and Lardarius Webb has held his own on the other side since returning to regular action in Week 5. However, with Asa Jackson having been placed on injured reserve with the designation to return, Baltimore doesn’t necessarily have regular, reliable third and fourth corners at the moment. As Preston writes, a veteran presence in a secondary that “lacks communication” at times could be useful, even if Bailey isn’t the same sort of difference-maker he once was.

Bailey, 36, had been expected to contribute in New Orleans after signing with the Saints in the offseason, but he was a surprise roster casualty in the preseason, with the team eating some guaranteed money to let him go. Since then, Bailey has worked out for the Lions and Ravens, and has been linked to a handful of other teams in need of secondary help, though most of those connections have been merely speculation.

According to Preston, the Ravens continue to keep an eye on several free agent defensive backs that could help the team at some point this season, but Bailey is “high on the list.”

]]>0Extra Points: Megatron, Peterson, Baileyhttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/10/extra-points-63
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/10/extra-points-63#respondWed, 08 Oct 2014 03:09:24 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=9515Dodger Stadium is in play as a potential temporary venue for an NFL team moving to Los Angeles, according to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). Hopefully, whatever team moves there will fare better than the Dodgers did tonight. Tonight’s look around the league..

Calvin Johnson carries a cap number of more than $20MM into the next league year and given his recent health trouble, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggests that the Lions could move on from him after this season or next. The fact that Detroit considered trading up for Sammy Watkins or Mike Evans and ultimately decided to use that pick on tight end Eric Ebron suggests that the Lions are at least considering the wisdom of reallocating their dollars, Florio writes.

A source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that Vikings running back Adrian Peterson hopes to emerge from court tomorrow with a December 1st trial date. If he goes to trial on December 1 and is acquitted that week, he could theoretically return to action on December 7, when the Vikings take on the Jets.

The Ravens tried out veteran cornerback Champ Bailey, a league source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Bailey recently said that he was willing to play nickel or safety if it meant getting back in the NFL. Meanwhile, on the D-line, the Ravens expect to be without Chris Canty for three weeks following a procedure to alleviate swelling in his wrist, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.

Linebacker Kevin Reddick is available after being waived by the Chargers and Vic Tafur of The San Francisco Chronicle (Twitterlinks) could see the Raiders dropping the newly-signed Ray Ray Armstrong in favor of him. The Raiders were fans of the UNC product at last year’s Senior Bowl.

The Vikings cut Mistral Raymond from their injured reserve, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).

Somewhat surprisingly, the Raiders were the only team to put in a claim on wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Talk of a new stadium and an NFL team coming to Los Angeles should scare the Chargers, writes U-T San Diego’s Kevin Acee. Both the Rams and Raiders could make a play to return to their one-time home and that would hurt the Bolts’ bottom line.

]]>0Colts Notes: Hamilton, Bailey, Bowenhttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/09/colts-notes-hamilton-bailey-bowen
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/09/colts-notes-hamilton-bailey-bowen#respondSun, 28 Sep 2014 00:53:05 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=9209Every time Andrew Luck turns around and hands the ball off to a running back, Colts’ fans take to the internet to demand that offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton’s job. Trent Richardson‘s struggles and the team’s 0-2 start to the season only added to the anti-Hamilton bandwagon. Mike Freeman of ESPN thinks that after the Colts put a huge number on the board against the lowly Jaguars, Hamilton’s job is safe. The team is ranked in the top three in the league in total yards, passing yards, and points per game. Here are some other notes from the Colts:

In the mailbag, Freeman writes that Champ Bailey is not an option at safety due to his declined play at 36 years old. He also addresses the team’s decision to keep Khaled Holmes out of the starting lineup despite being healthy, in order to keep continuity with that unit.

One of the biggest surprises of the season so far has been the effectiveness of a much maligned offensive line for the team, wrote Kevin Bowen of Colts.com earlier this week. Rather than being a weakness, Bowen sees them as being among the NFL’s best through three weeks.

Finally from Bowen, he grabbed a number of quotes from head coach Chuck Pagano regarding the rotation at running back, the offensive line, and many other topics.

]]>0Lions Notes: Tate, Fauria, Bailey, Joneshttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/09/lions-notes-tate-fauria-bailey-jones
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/09/lions-notes-tate-fauria-bailey-jones#respondSat, 27 Sep 2014 03:17:22 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=9184As the Lions and Jets prepare to battle this Sunday, a huge factor in the matchup could come to a decision made much earlier this offseason. Both teams entered the offseason with a very similar needs, namely cornerback and wide receiver. While each team elected to more or less ignore their cornerback problem, both made big splashes at receiver. Eric Decker was thought to be the top pass catcher on the market, but it was the Lions who struck a deal first, electing to sign Golden Tate away from the Seahawks. Head coach Jim Caldwell notes that Tate was their first choice from the beginning, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

“I can tell you that Golden was our prime target and we’re glad he’s here,” said Caldwell. “Decker obviously is a fine football player and does a lot of things extremely well.”

Here are some other notes as we draw closer to Lions vs. Jets at MetLife Stadium Sunday:

While both teams addressed receivers in the offseason, they both failed to improve their situations at cornerback. Each team boasts a top end run defense, with a shaky secondary susceptible to big plays downfield. While answering fan questions on Twitter, Michael Rothstein of ESPN was asked about cornerback Champ Bailey‘s status as a free agent. Both the Jets and Lions could use help at the position, but neither has had any concrete connection to Bailey in 2014. Rothstein believes this could be an indication that Bailey may not have anything left in the tank (via Twitter).

Lions’ tight end Joseph Fauria injured his ankle on Wednesday, leaving the team with only two players at the position on the active roster. While Brandon Pettigrew and Eric Ebron should be able to cover for Fauria’s minimal production, it could change the way the team attacks the Jets’ defense. The team will be forced to use more three wide receiver sets unless they decide to promote tight end Jordan Thompson or fullback Emil Igwenagu, who has played tight end, writes Rothstein. They could also consider increased roles for fullbacks Jed Collins and Montell Owens.

]]>0AFC West Notes: Raiders, Chiefs, Chargershttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/09/afc-west-notes-raiders-chiefs-chargers
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/09/afc-west-notes-raiders-chiefs-chargers#respondThu, 25 Sep 2014 16:15:30 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=9153As I noted in a poll yesterday, there are only three unbeaten teams remaining in the NFL — at the other end of the spectrum, only three clubs are still looking for their first win of the season. Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap examines those three franchises in his latest piece for The Sporting News, writing of the Raiders that they’ve “built one of the strangest rosters in recent memory.”

As Fitzgerald notes, Oakland added a number of aging veterans in free agency on its way to compiling the oldest roster in the NFL, and the team handed the quarterbacking reins to rookie Derek Carr shortly after trading for high-priced veteran Matt Schaub. The Raiders figure to win some games at some point this season, but it’s hard to imagine GM Reggie McKenzie and head coach Dennis Allen still having their jobs a year from now unless things turn around quickly, writes Fitzgerald.

Here’s more from around the AFC West:

Although Bill Williamson of ESPN.com has received many inquiries from Raiders fans on whether or not the team has interest in free agent defensive back Champ Bailey, Williamson says the team isn’t considering the veteran at this point (Twitter link).

Before they signed with the Packers’ and Lions’ practice squads, respectively, offensive lineman Josh Walker and defensive back Josh Victorian worked out for the Chiefs, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), who says Kansas City team also auditioned wideout Ryan Spadola.

In addition to the players who signed to their roster or practice squad, or those whose workouts have been previously reported, the Chargers tried out the following players, according to Wilson (viaTwitter): Offensive linemen Michael Bamiro, Travis Bond, and Bryce Quigley, linebacker Yawin Smallwood, and tight end Brian Wozniak.

]]>0Extra Points: Bironas, Harrison, Rudolphhttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/09/extra-points-81
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/09/extra-points-81#respondThu, 25 Sep 2014 03:38:13 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=9127Rob Bironas was planning to continue his NFL career before his unexpected death earlier this week, according to Titans punter Brett Kern. “I talked to him on Friday, because he had the workout with the Lions, and he was so excited that it went well. I told him I was proud of him,’ and that’s the last thing I told him,” Kern told reporters, including Jim Wyatt of The Tennesseean. “He was really looking forward to signing with another team.” More from around the NFL..

James Harrison‘s deal with the Steelers is for the veteran’s minimum, minus the three games already played, tweets Ed Bouchette of the Post-Gazette. Including his $65K bonus, he’ll collect just over $851K for this season.

There’s a chance Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph could be placed on the IR-DTR list, but “probably not,” head coach Mike Zimmer told reporters, including Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune (on Twitter).

Free agent cornerback Champ Bailey feels healthy and tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that he is willing to play nickel or safety if that’s what it takes to land a job somewhere.

Teammate Tyvon Branch is headed to the IR, but the Raiders got some good news on teammate Rod Streater. His agent tells Bill Williamson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that Streater only requires minor surgery and hopes to return in 4-5 weeks.

]]>0Latest On Champ Baileyhttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/09/latest-champ-bailey
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/09/latest-champ-bailey#commentsSun, 14 Sep 2014 03:27:33 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=8791For a surefire future Hall of Famer, Champ Bailey has had a tumultuous offseason. After being released by the Broncos in March, Bailey signed a two-year deal with the Saints, only to be cut again, this time in late August. The 36-year-old cornerback worked out for the Lions on September 4 but wasn’t immediately signed; he’s garnered no other known interest. Bailey doesn’t sound like he’s ready to retire just yet, however, telling SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter) that “if [the Lions] call, that’s a team [he’d] really like to talk to.”

Additionally, Bailey seems amenable to moving to safety, a transition that many aging corners make in order to find work in the NFL. The change has been suggested for Bailey over the past few seasons, and while he’s previously resisted such a move, he says he’d be “open to pretty much anything (position wise) at this point” (link). Since auditioning Bailey, Detroit has worked out a multitude of other cornerbacks, suggesting it wasn’t pleased with Bailey’s workout. It’s just my speculation, but the Jets, who could use help at both corner and safety, could make sense as a landing spot for Bailey.

As evidenced by his lack of employment, Bailey struggled in 2013 — while dealing with injuries, he amassed a -2.5 grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required). However, nearly all of that negative value was due to lackluster performance in the Super Bowl. As recently as 2012, Bailey was his usual self, rating as the 10th-best CB among 113 qualifiers, per PFF. For his career, Bailey has started 212 games, racking up 52 interceptions and 812 tackles.

]]>2Champ Bailey Worked Out For Lionshttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/09/champ-bailey-working-lions
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/09/champ-bailey-working-lions#respondThu, 04 Sep 2014 17:01:36 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=846312:01am: Bailey’s workout went well and the Lions liked what they saw, but it doesn’t seem that any signing is imminent, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

11:26am: The Lions appear to be on the lookout for veteran help in their secondary, and will bring in cornerback Champ Bailey for a workout today, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter). Bailey was let go over the weekend by the Saints as New Orleans cut its roster down to 53 players.

Bailey has a few question marks himself, after failing to earn a roster spot with the Saints despite receiving a $500K signing bonus when he signed with the club in April. The 12-time Pro Bowler appeared in just five regular season games in 2013 due to a foot injury, and his exorbitant cap hit made him a cap casualty for the AFC champion Broncos. He’s said to be healthy, but it remains to be seen how much he has left in the tank at age 36.

]]>0Jets Notes: Cuts, Joseph, Bailey, Hillhttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/08/jets-notes-cuts-joseph-bailey-hill
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/08/jets-notes-cuts-joseph-bailey-hill#respondSun, 31 Aug 2014 13:57:36 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=8259Jets’ general manager John Idzik is putting his stamp on the team, as 32 players on the final 53-man roster were Idzik acquisitions, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter). That leaves only 21 players left from former general manager Mike Tannenbaum’s time with the team,

Here are some other notes surrounding Gang Green after final cuts:

The team will be looking hard at the waiver wire for cornerbacks, and will also consider trading to bring someone in, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). One name Mehta brings up as a player to look out for is Texans’ cornerback Johnathan Joseph. Joseph was a Pro Bowler in 2011 and 2012, but struggled with injuries last year.

Another name the Jets may be interested is recently released veteran cornerback Champ Bailey, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Bailey claims to be fully healthy and ready to play, and despite his age, the Jets are looking for upgrades in the secondary.

While Bailey looks like an obvious choice, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com does not see the fit happening. The 36-year-old former All Pro player was just cut by the Saints, and if defensive coordinator Rob Ryan had no use for him on the team, then Rex Ryan knows exactly where he has lost a step.

After Stephen Hill was cut by the team, his agent Alan Herman criticized the Jets for how they handled Hill’s early seasons, writes Cimini. “The quarterback situation with [Mark] Sanchez and [Tim] Tebow was obviously a disaster; it wasn’t right for a young player,” Herman said. “Last year, Geno [Smith] was thrown into a difficult situation and the offense was limited. Stephen’s bread-and-butter is the deep ball, which we rarely saw. Stephen needs an established quarterback situation to help him realize his potential.”

]]>0Free Agent Notes: Patterson, Bailey, Kafka, Painterhttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/08/free-agent-notes-patterson-bailey-kafka-painter
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/08/free-agent-notes-patterson-bailey-kafka-painter#respondSun, 31 Aug 2014 03:18:39 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=8257It was a busy day in the NFL, and plenty of free agents are now looking for a new home. Let’s see where some of them could be heading…

The Saints don’t have a kicker on their roster, but they shouldn’t be worried. Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole tweets that there are plenty of options in free agency, including Ryan Succop, Connor Barth and Jay Feely.

NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport spoke to Champ Bailey‘s agent, JackReale, who indicated that the veteran “definitely” still wants to play and is completely healthy. “He had a plantar problem which is resolved. He just missed too much time for the coach’s evaluation to be complete,” Reale said (via Rapoport’sTwitter).

The Buccaneers will look to bring back quarterback Mike Kafka to their practice squad, tweets the Tampa Tribune’s Roy Cummings.

]]>0Saints Cut Champ Bailey, Robert Meachemhttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/08/saints-cut-champ-bailey-robert-meachem
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/08/saints-cut-champ-bailey-robert-meachem#respondSat, 30 Aug 2014 20:00:35 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=8202Veteran defensive back Champ Bailey has failed to secure a spot on the Saints’ 53-man roster, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network, who reports (via Twitter) that New Orleans is cutting Bailey. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Saints have also parted ways with wideout Robert Meachem.

In releasing Bailey, the Saints will be stuck with $500K in dead money on their cap, since that portion of the veteran’s one-year contract with the club was guaranteed. There were rumblings during training camp and the preseason that Bailey may not be assured of a roster spot in New Orleans — he’s not a contributor on special teams, so to land a spot on the team’s regular-season roster, he probably would have had to secure a starting spot, or at least a nickel back role. Based on his performance this summer, it seems the Saints weren’t convinced he’d be a positive asset in their secondary.

The two cuts are the latest Saints moves as the team trims its roster to 53 players. We passed along several other cuts made by the team earlier today.

]]>0NFC Notes: Hester, Felton, Bailey, Cardshttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/08/nfc-notes-hester-felton-bailey-cards
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/08/nfc-notes-hester-felton-bailey-cards#respondMon, 11 Aug 2014 17:23:29 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=7414Longtime BearDevin Hester would have liked to continue – and eventually end – his career in Chicago, but when he became a free agent earlier this year, the team didn’t have much interest in re-signing him, as he tells Patrick Finley of the Chicago Tribune.

“It’s not like I had a choice to sign with them again,” Hester said. “They didn’t even call me to let me know they were willing to bring me back. I didn’t hear from them at all. It made it a lot easier for me to say, ‘OK,’ and then go look for another team.”

When he hit the open market, Hester considered the Cardinals and Lovie Smith’s Buccaneers, but ultimately landed with the Falcons. Here’s more from around the NFC:

Like Hester, wide receiver Stevie Johnson expected to eventually finish his career with the team he started with, but the Bills opted to trade him to the 49ers in May. Johnson spoke to Don Banks of SI.com about his offseason and about playing for the team he grew up rooting for in San Francisco.

With new offensive coordinator Norv Turner now leading the offense in Minnesota, the Vikings aren’t expected to utilize a fullback as often, meaning Jerome Felton‘s roster spot could be in jeopardy just two years after he made the Pro Bowl. Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press has the details, including quotes from the veteran fullback, who expressed confidence in his place on the team’s 53-man roster.

]]>0NFC Notes: Saints, Washington, 49ershttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/05/nfc-notes-saints-washington-49ers
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2014/05/nfc-notes-saints-washington-49ers#respondSat, 31 May 2014 03:53:43 +0000http://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=5793The Saints have a few positions battles that might not be decided until late in training camp, according to Rachel Whittaker of NOLA.com. She mentions options at starting center, as well as the overhaul of the receiving corps.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

Another position on the Saints that is left in limbo is the defensive backfield, writes Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com. The team knows who the starting safeties should be, but they have a deep group of cornerbacks behind Keenan Lewis fighting for the second corner job. The team gets Patrick Robinson back from injury, in addition to Corey White, free agent veterain Champ Bailey, and second-round pick Stanley-Jean Baptiste, among others. There are 11 cornerbacks on the 90-man roster, when only five made the final roster last season.

Recently suspendedCardinals‘ linebacker Daryl Washington stand to lose a lot of money due to his most recent transgressions, writes Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com. Washington will forfeit his 2014 base salary of $2.9MM and his prorated signing bonus of nearly $500,000, but will still have almost $13MM of potential earnings upon his return, as his current contract runs through 2017.

49ers‘ linebacker Michael Wilhoite and third-round pick Chris Borland will fight for a starting job at inside linebacker to begin 2014, writes Eric Branch of SFGate.com. The position is open due to NaVorro Bowman‘s injury at the end of the NFC Championship Game, and one of those two players could be lining up next to Patrick Willis at times in the upcoming season.

Jeremy Maclin is back with the Eagles, and head coach Chip Kelly is excited to have another weapon in his offensive arsenal, writes Andy Jasner of ESPN.com. “Mac’s doing a really good job, just getting back familiar with it. I was really excited about how he would fit into what we do because of what he can do. And then to lose him that early in camp was disappointing. You got a taste of him,” said Kelly. “But having him out there full speed running out there right now, he’s doing a really good job.”

The Falcons have a long list of expiring contracts on their roster, and as they move to more 3-4 opportunities on defense, they could be in store for a major overhaul in talent, writes David Choats of TheFalcoholic.com. They put together a list of these players who will be free agents in 2015.

Three players are vying for the Saints’ No. 2 cornerback job — Champ Bailey, Patrick Robinson and Corey White — and ESPN’s Mike Triplett thinks “it’s pretty close to a three-way tie between that trio for the No. 2 job — or they may all be used in situations that favor their skill sets.” As for Robinson in particular, Triplett says he will get a legitimate shot because otherwise they would have released him to alleviate their salary cap crunch. The 2010 first-rounder hasn’t lived up to expectations, and is entering the final year of his rookie deal counting $2.8MM against the cap.

It would be a surprise if the Packers didn’t extend the contract of Randall Cobb or Jordy Nelson (both free agents in 2015) before September, writes ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, who says Cobb is a must re-sign while Nelson is a “little bit trickier” because he’ll be 29 this season.

Soon to be 33, Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett has two years remaining on his deal. He will count $8.75MM against the cap in 2014 and is scheduled to count $9.8MM against the cap in 2015, but ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss says after the upcoming season the team will ask him to take a pay cut or likely release him.

Aldon Smith‘s future is unknown thanks to his legal issues, and 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh is already aggravated talking about it, writes Aaron Wilson at National Football Post. “I’m not going to get into speculating on what’s going to happen, what could happen, what will happen. There’s nothing really further that I can add to this line of questioning. You can take bamboo shoots and stick ’em under my fingernails and there still wouldn’t be any more I could add further to this discussion.”

Also at NFPost, Greg Gabriel spotlights a handful of second-year players in the NFC North poised to break out in 2014, including Lions defensive end Ziggy Ansah. Says Gabriel: “As a rookie last year, [Ansah] had 32 total tackles and eight sacks. With a year of learning the game under his belt, I expect those numbers to nearly double. There is no telling how good Ansah can eventually become.”

Jackson Jeffcoat, a defensive end out of Texas, garnered a $15k signing bonus from the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent, reports the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta, who has the full list of the team’s signings/bonuses.